OpenFields

1394: Microbiology, food security and safety

This paper is taken from the executive summary of a Society for General Microbiology Position Statement on Food Security and Safety

Year of Publication2011

Understanding the role of microbes at all steps in the process of plant and animal production, soil and water management, and harvesting, storage and processing of agricultural products is necessary. Now and in the future, microbiological research and development will play a profoundly important role in sustaining and improving food production, food safety, and environmental quality while reducing waste. For example, for every 1% reduction in crop pests and diseases an extra 25 million people could be fed.